My Little Leedon

by Lesley A. Couzens
(Pietermaritzburg, South Africa)

Leedon Vaughan Couzens - 24 years

On the 17th August 2008 the day began as a usual Sunday. Leedon left on his motorbike to attend a memorial ride in honour of a young boy who had been killed two years earlier. After the ride he was understandably sad, he went to see friends and then he phoned home to say that he would be leaving his friends to return home. He asked what was for dinner and was happy that it would be stew, as the weather was cooler at this time of year.

He left his friends, said goodbye, mounted his motorbike and started his journey home. He turned onto the freeway and was riding home, when he got to about 100m from the off-ramp a drunk pedestrian ran across the freeway, hit him and broke his neck. He was killed instantly, the pedestrian lived a few hours longer.

My husband and youngest son went out to look for him, as he was taking a long time to come home. They heard from a friend that there had been a motorbike accident on the freeway, so they went to see if it was Leedon. It was!

Leedon's brother Gartyh tried to pick him up to bring him home, but was told to leave the body. My husband then folded Leedon into his arms and waited for the Morgue van to arrive. In the meantime, my eldest son Darren arrived at the house to tell me the terrible news, I was devastated.

It has been the hardest, most difficult thing I have had to deal with in my lifetime, I don't think I will ever get over the loss, I just want to have Leedon here with me again.

I have joined a support group for Mothers who have lost a child, and I can tell you that it makes such a big difference in coping with the grief.